There’s just something about spring that makes a gardener’s heart beat a little faster. Those first warm days, the gentle buzz of bumblebees, the sun warming the soil. It’s the excitement of everything waking up after a long winter.
And if you’re lucky enough to have strawberries in your garden, you know it will only be a blink of an eye until you’ll be picking those sweet, juicy treasures.
But before you get too excited dreaming about fresh strawberry shortcake (sorry, I drooled on my keyboard a little bit), we need to tackle an important spring chore – fertilizing.
If you’re hoping for some snackable strawberries in your future, you need to give them a springtime snack.
But not all strawberries need to be fertilized in the spring, so it’s important to know which do and which don’t.
Let’s dig into the when, how, and which berries should get a little extra love this time of year.
Why Fertilizing Matters in the Spring
Strawberries are heavy feeders. I feel like I say that about most of the things we grow, but it’s true. Fertilizing goes beyond producing big, tasty berries. Providing strawberries with the right nutrients at the start of the growing season helps them develop strong root systems and healthy leaves for photosynthesis. It sets the stage for basket upon basket of flavorful berries.
But it’s important to give them the right fertilizer; otherwise, you’ll have tons of shiny emerald green leaves with few berries.
We’re providing a good balance, so they have the nutrients they need when they need them – in the spring. That solid foundation at the beginning of the growing season sets the stage not only for berries but stronger plants that are more resistant to pests and disease.
Which Strawberry Plants Should Be Fertilized in Spring?
So, here’s where it’s important to know what type of strawberries you are growing. If you’re growing everbearing or day-neutral varieties, spring fertilizing is a must. These types of strawberries need a consistent supply of nutrients to support the multiple flushes of flowers and fruit throughout the growing season.
A light feeding early in the season keeps them fueled up without pushing too much leafy growth at the expense of fruit.
Common everbearing varieties:
- Ozark Beauty
- Tristar
- Quinault
Day-neutral varieties include:
- Seascape
- Albion
- Fern
Which Strawberry Plants Should Not Be Fertilized in Spring?
Now, if you’re growing June-bearing strawberries, you’ll want to resist the urge to reach for that fertilizer. June-bearing strawberries get fed in late summer and fall after they’ve fruited. If you fertilize these types of berries in the spring, you’ll end up with nothing but leaves.
Interestingly, an early spring feed can also lead to the plants developing soft berries, which makes them more susceptible to pests and disease. They’re also more likely to be squashed as you pick them, which means they will go bad faster. These softer berries are less flavorful, too. So, not ideal.
June-bearing varieties
- Honeoye
- Chandler
- Allstar
A final note about strawberry types:
Many strawberry-growing aficionados grow all three types of berries. This gives you a consistent supply of berries across the whole season. This also means it’s important to know which berries are which. It’s a good idea when planting strawberries to keep each type separate and not mix them together in your garden. It will make fertilizing each year much easier.
Alright, now that we’ve got that cleared up, let’s talk about what fertilizer to use and how much to apply.
Seriously, all I can think about now is strawberry shortcake.
How to Fertilize Strawberries in Spring
Before we go any further, there is something you will want to do first. (Long-time readers, you know what I’m about to say.)
Test Your Soil First
Yup. She said it.
Before you add anything to your soil, it’s always a good idea to know what you’re working with (or you’re deficient in). You don’t need to test your soil every year. Every few years is fine, especially if you’ve made the proper amendments to any deficiencies or pH imbalances spotted in a previous soil test. (Strawberries prefer between 5.8 and 6.5).
That being said, if you don’t have the time to wait for soil test results, a light spring fertilizing isn’t going to be the end of the world. Just make sure you test your soil in the fall.
You can get yourself a really inexpensive soil tester for measuring pH, but you may want to get a complete nutrient testing kit such as this one for more detailed info about your soil.
What Fertilizer to Use
You don’t need anything fancy or complicated for strawberries. Composted manure works great for berries. Or you can use a balanced slow-release fertilizer. Espoma makes an organic fertilizer specifically for berries (Berry-tone) with an NPK rating of 4-3-4. But any balanced fertilizer will do.
How Much to Use
Remember, this is going to be a light, even feeding. We don’t want to go nuts and end up with a lot of foliage growth.
If you’re using a balanced fertilizer, follow the directions on the bag to fertilize at half-strength.
For composted manure, it’s a little more involved, but not overly so. You’re going to want to spread it about ½” thick around the base of the plants. At this rate, you’ll need about one or two pounds for every ten square feet.
Application Tips
- It’s best to apply fertilizer when plants are dry.
- Scatter evenly around the plants, avoiding direct contact with the crown (the center growth point). This is especially important with composted manure.
- Be sure you’re using well-aged manure. If it’s too “green,” it can burn the plants.
- Water thoroughly after applying to help nutrients reach the roots.
A Few Final Thoughts
When it comes to strawberries, mulch matters. After you’ve applied your fertilizer of choice and watered the plants, add a fresh layer of straw mulch or wood chips. This will lock in moisture, keep fruits clean, and suppress weeds.
Strawberries need about 1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, especially after fertilization. Consistent moisture helps the fertilizer do its job and keeps plants happy. And happy plants equals lots of berries.
Don’t overdo it. More fertilizer does not equal more berries. It’s best to err on the side of under-fertilizing rather than over-fertilizing.
Sit back and be patient. Those glossy, ruby-red strawberries will be ready before you know it. Now, the next important question is, do you prefer biscuits or angel food cake for strawberry shortcake?
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